Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2)

Neutrotropic effects and blood levels of solvents at combined exposures: binary mixtures of toluene, o-xylene and acetone in rats and mice

Vodicková L., Frantík E., Vodicková A.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):57-64  

Male rats and female mice were exposed to vapours of toluene, o-xylene and acetone in basic or double concentrations or to binary combinations of basic concentrations, for 4 and 2 hours, respectively. Basic air concentrations were for rats and mice (in ppm): toluene 270 and 380, o-xylene 230 and 320, acetone 1700 and 1530, respectively. The CNS effect-inhibition of electrically evoked seizure discharge-was measured immediately after exposure and blood levels of solvents were monitored during the desaturation phase. The effect of all binary mixtures was lower than that of double concentrations of each single component, the difference being significant...

Studies on immunomodulatory properties of isoniazid. Influence of isoniazid on responsiveness of peripheral blood mononuclear cells to interleukin-2

Kucharz E.J.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):65-66  

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells which were "resting" i.e. interleukin-2-receptor-negative were stimulated to proliferate by interleukin-2 in vitro. It was found that isoniazid at concentration of 10(-5)-10(-6) M increased the peak proliferation of "resting" cells but had no influence on the kinetics of proliferation. The mechanism of this effect of isoniazid remains unclear.

Technologies for in situ cleanup of contaminated sites

Udell K.S., Grubb D.G., Sitar N.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):67-76  

Groundwater contamination by non-aqueous phase liquids (NAPLs) and denser than water non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) poses one of the greatest remedial challenges in the field of environmental engineering. Due to low water solubilities and aqueous diffusivities, conventional pump-and-treat technologies have a poor record of success in remediation of DNAPL contaminated aquifers. Better success has been found with the removal of volatile LNAPLs due to higher gaseous diffusivities, propensity for aerobic biodegradation, and ease of pumping and handling large quantities of gas. An evaluation of in situ cleanup technologies on the basis of their applicability...

Human population changes caused by hazardous waste

Smith M.T., Lea C.S., Buffler P.A.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):77-79  

Evidence for health effects at hazardous waste sites is scanty, largely because of problems with the studies and not because effects are not present. A few, well-designed studies with a priori hypotheses have shown excesses of birth defects, low birth weight children, liver damage, skin rashes, mood disorders, narcotic symptoms, and respiratory problems in populations around certain hazardous waste sites. Each of these studies have their own limitations in terms of internal and external validity. Recent advances in biomarker epidemiology hold promise for future studies of this important world wide problem.

Nosocomial infections caused by selected gram-negative bacteria at the Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit of the Teaching Hospital in Brno

Sekaninová G., Kolárová M., Semrádová S., Táborská D., Zajícová V.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):80-83  

In the course of 13 months we monitored the occurrence of strains of P. mirabilis, P. vulgaris, Kl. pneumoniae, including its indole-positive variant and S. marcescens in patients of the Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit (AICU) of the Teaching Hospital (TH) in Brno. Out of 436 patients hospitalized at that time, 95 (21.8%) were colonized or infected by one or all of the bacterial species studied. Out of those 95 patients, 48 (50.5%) came to the AICU already colonized or infected by one of the studied agents mostly from other wards of the TH or from other hospitals. At the AICU, 32 of them were reinfected or superinfected by one, two or all of...

Human viruses possibly present in the environment

Nestor I.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):84-91  

This paper deals with some aspects of human viruses in the environment. Thus, a systematization of these viruses was made on the basis of their elimination from the human body and also with regard to their detection in various segments of the environment. The data compiled lead to the conclusion that virtually any human virus, of any taxonomic group known, may be present, in one or another segment of the environment, at one or another time.

Blood lead concentrations in school children of Upper Silesian Industrial Zone, Poland

Zejda J.E., Sokal A., Grabecki J., Panasiuk Z., Jarkowski M., Skiba M.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):92-96  

Upper Silesian Industrial Zone (Katowice Voivodship, Poland), the country most industrialized and densely populated region is well recognized for the magnitude of environmental problems. Due to local lead mining and processing environmental exposure to lead is considered one of the most important hazards to the health of children. In the past, clinically confirmed cases of lead intoxication in children have been found and recent blood lead monitoring in major point source impact areas have documented increased blood lead concentration in children. However, much less is known about blood lead concentrations in general population of children who are...

Czech medical faculties and smoking

Králíková E., Kozák J., Rames J., Zámecník L., Wallenfels I.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):97-99  

At the 1st Medical Faculty of Charles University in Prague the prevalence of smoking was investigated among the faculty, staff, students and among health professionals in the country. We found 38.1% smokers (current and occasional) among malephysicians (N = 625), 25.6% smokers among women physicians (N = 394), 48.7% smoking nurses (N = 729) and 42.3% smokers among paramedical staff (N = 298). We have also followed up smoking habits among our students since 1989 (N = 1235). The number of smokers among them rose from 7% in 1989 to 18% in 1994. Students were also asked about their opinion on smoking as a risk factor for coronary heart disease which has...

Antibodies against Rickettsiaceae in dogs of Setúbal, Portugal

Bacellar F., Dawson J.E., Silveira C.A., Filipe A.R.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):100-102  

An indirect fluorescent antibody test was performed on sera collected from dogs housed in the municipal kennel of Setúbal to assess the prevalence of antibodies to Ehrlichia canis, the causative agent of canine ehrlichiosis and to Rickettsia conorii, agent of boutonneuse fever in humans. Two other members of the family Rickettsiaceae, Coxiella burnetii and Rickettsia typhi, were included in the serosurvey. Of the 104 dogs tested, 85.6% had antibodies to R. conorii, 50% to E. canis, 26.9% to R. typhi, and 4.8% to C. burnetii. These high seroprevalence rates of dogs with antibodies all year around against Rickettsiaceae suggest that physicians, public...

Programmes and activities of the International Centre for Pesticide Safety

Maroni M., Fait A., Azimonti G., Bersani M., Colombo M.G., Ferioli A., F.La Ferla, Mainini F.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):103-106  

The International Centre for Pesticide Safety (ICPS) is a research unit of the National Health Service created by the Government of the Region of Lombardy at the proposal of the World Health Organization-Regional Office for Europe, in cooperation with the University of Milan, and in agreement with the Italian Ministry of Health. ICPS operates in the following areas of activity: information and documentation on pesticide toxicity to man and environment, epidemiological, toxicological and clinical research on effects of pesticides in man; training and education of personnel in public health, assessment of environmental and health impact of pesticides...

The role of risk communication in environmental decision-making

Santos S.L.

Cent Eur J Public Health 1995, 3(2):107-109